"Mama!Mama!"

"Ye tou Minno ki awaaz hai."My hand which was ruffling his hair stopped suddenly.

"Haan but why is she crying?"Manik raised his head up from my chest and I looked at him worriedly.

"Wo tou bhaiya k sath gayi thi."I murmured in haze and Manik stood up from bed.After wearing his clothes he helped me wearing saree and we rushed out of the room.

"Kia hua baby?Harsh what happened to her?"As we demounted the stairs Manik asked bhaiya who was sitting on the floor while Manahil was sitting on the couch infront of him,wailing."Baba!bohot dald ho laha hai."

Noticing some blood on her knee we ran towards her frantically."Manahil"

"Abhi tou I'd just parked the car when she opened the car door and ran aur phir kiya before i could catch her,she slipped and bruised her knee."Bhaiya glared at Manahil and she cried loudly.I sat on the sofa taking her in my arms when she yelped again,"Baba!"She looked towards her father for some love who also looked disappointed with her behaviour but nonetheless her cries melted him and he immediately kneeled down beside bhaiya,facing us.

"Ji!Baba ki jaan!Abhi theek hojaega.Aap kyon ro rahe ho itna."Manik wiped her cheeks lovingly while glancing at her knee on which bhaiya was treating with first aid.

"Aaah!"She cried as bhaiya dabbed her knee with antiseptic lotion and i buried her face in my chest.Hiding my tears too. "It will be fine Minno!You're my brave girl na?"I tried coaxing her but her tears were not ready to stop.

"Bas meri guriya hogaya.See it's done!"Manik band aided her knee and bhaiya closed the medication box.

"Acha baba paas aajao."Manik took her from my arms and she rested her head on his shoulder,still weeping.

"I'll bring water for her!"Bhaiya rushed to the kitchen and I nodded.

"Minno!Dekho ye tou apki galti haina.How many times baba has told you not to open the car door.Jo bache mama baba ki baat nhi mante na phir unhe aese hi punishment milti hai."Manik tried to make her understand while strolling in the lounge with her in his arms.

"Mughe apti aul mama ki bohot yaad aa lahi thi isliye main bhaag kal aa lahi thi aap k paas."She hiccupped looking at her father and I bet Manik's face was like he'll do anything and everything for her tears to stop.

"Ssshhh!Acha ok stop crying.Hum ice-cream khane chalein."He asked her gleefully and her tears stop instantly.

"Louble chocolate baba!"Her eyes twinkled with the name of ice cream and she exclaimed happily making us smile.

"Have some water."Bhaiya came with a glass of water and asked Manahil to sip but she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Ek tou chori upar se seena zori."Bhaiya too narrowed his eyes at her,hiding his smile and I chuckled moving towards them.

"Main aapse katti hn!"Manahil announced narrowing her gaze more at him and bhaiya made a sad face.

"Acha drink some water first!"Her father took the glass of water from bhaiya and snd made her drink it.

"Fine Nandani jo maine toys order kiye the na Manahil k liye ab wo main cancel kar deta hn because she is so upset with me,she won't accept my gifts na."Bhaiya spoke sadly while eyeing Manahil from the corner of his eyes and I played along,"Obviously bhaiya minno won't take your gifts now."

"Batti kar lo mamu k sath ziada faida hai."Manik whispered in her ear and her expressions changed to sheepish eyes.

"It's ok hals mamu ab next time aap mughe gussa nhi kalna.Fleinds?"She chirped putting forth her little palm and we laughed.

"Promise!"Bhaiya kissed her palm and her smile widened.

"And you also make a promise that you won't open car door ever again."I showed her my eyes and she pouted cutely while nodding her head,"Plomise Mama!"

"And Harsh you should be careful too.Child lock lagana chahiye tughe."Manik smiled softly at Harsh bhaiya and bhaiya nodded accepting his mistake too.

"Main tou jab bhi nikalta hn child lock laga hi deta hn meri walion ka koi bharosa nhi hai."My husband looked at me with the corner of his eyes and bhaiya laughed making me confound.

Inka kehna ka matlab kiya hai akhir?

Before I could ponder more everyone absent from the house arrived.

"Yaar it's very hot outside!"Rahul sat down on sofa throwing his head back along with Shahid.

Sunaina and Cabir bhai came in along with many shoppers as they kept them on the centre table and settled on the couches too.

"What happened to her?"Sunaina stood up immediately noticing Manahil's band-aided knee making others notice too.

"Nothing!She fell down while running."Manik answered while planting a kiss at Manahil's cheek and everyone nodded.

"Hogayi sari preparations?"Harsh bhaiya went towards Sunaina and sat beside her.

"Hmmm almost!"She smiled keeping her head on bhaiya's chest and i smiled at them.

Me and my husband too settled down on couch with Manahil still in his arms.

"Baba jani cholein mughe.I want to go!"Manahil squirmed in his hold but he still didn't let her go.

"No!Abhi aapko laga haina tou aap kahin nhi ja rahi.Baba k paas hi bethi raho."Manik pushed her hazel tresses behind her ear and she made a bad face.

"Please baba jani!"She joined her palms under her chin trying to melt her father's heart but he was too strict with her health,"No Minno!Tell me where you want to go I'll take you there."

"Cabil chachu pash jana hai."She mewed and before Manik could answer Cabir bhai came towards us,
"Come!" He forwarded his arms and Manik allowed him to pick her up.

"Cabil chachu I want to play games on your phone."She whispered in Cabir bhai's ear but it was so loud that we all heard her.I rolled my eyes.

Aaj kal k bache bas jab dekho mobile tv k peeche pare rehte hain.

"Fine!All yours baby."He handled her phone and settled down on couch again with Manahil in his laps.

"You're giving it back in 10 minutes.Ok Minno?"I muttered strictly and without rausing her head up from phone she answered, "Ok Mama!"

"Main kiya soch rahi thi..."Before Sunaina could say something Cabir bhai Interrupted, "Nhi tu mat soch itna."

Shahid and Rahul chuckled while Sunaina glared at Cabir bhai.

"Harsh I'm telling you iss ne poore raste mughe bohot tang kiya hai.Har shop par le ja kar sab kuch pasand kar wata aur phir mehenga hai bol kar nikal jata.I'm not going anywhere with him from now on."Sunaina huffed and everyone around laughed irking her more.

"Cabir!"Bhaiya gave him a look and Cabir bhai raised his hands up in surrender,"Haan bhai nhi tang karunga ab teri biwi jo ban'ne wali hai ye chipkali." He laughed at last and Sunaina was now on the verge of crying.

"Wese main kia soch raha tha kyon na Manik tu bhi shadi kar le Harsh k sath sath."Rahul spoke and I looked at him with vivid eyes.

"Mera matlab hai bhabhi k sath hi."He gulped and I sighed understanding his meaning.

"Haan!I'm ready Nandani mughe har baar dulhan k roop main qubool hai."He looked at me with his passionate eyes and I lowered my eyes being shy.

"Aww!"Sunaina smiled and i held my husbands arm,hiding my face behind his toned bicep.

"Meri jaan!"He kissed my hair.

"Haan that's a good idea!Ek ghar main do shadian matlab double fun!"Shahid chirped.

"Lekin ek twist hai."Cabir bhai spoke and Manik gave him a stern look asking him to shut his mouth if he was uttering something stupid.

"Tu sun tou le pehle."Cabir bhai was controlling his smile,badly.

"Shadi se pehle dulha dulhan ek kamre main nhi reh sakte...Before Cabir bhai could say more my hubby stood up with a jerk, "I knew it k tu koi bakwas hi karega.Aesa kuch bhi nhi ho raha main nhi kar raha koi shadi.Nandani mere sath hi rahegi."He declared and everyone there controlled their laughs seeing his annoyed face while i palmed my face being flushed.

Ye bhi na!Ek pal nhi reh sakte mere bagair!

"Nhi baba mughe mamma aul apki dadi(shadi)dekhni hai!"Throwing away Cabir bhai's phone on couch Manahil jumped.

"Tou phir tou Mama aur aap Harsh mamu k sath rehna baba hamare sath rahenge,Phir baba apki mama ko dulhan bna k le jayenge."Cabir bhai filled her ears and her eyes twinkled,"Yayy!"She squealed happily and Manik curled his fists glaring at Cabir bhai with all his might.

"Cabir!"Manik growled stepping towards a laughing Cabir bhai when Manahil came in between."Baba!"She wrapped her tiny arms and narrowed her eyes at her father.

"Listen Minno mama and baba are already married.Baba apse kese dur rahenge mera bacha."He kneeled down infront of her and she cupped his cheeks,"Pleash baba meli mama dulhan banengi na."

Her cute pout forced him to accept and he nodded, "Ok!We'll get married again."

"Yayy!Kitta maza ayega!"Manahil clapped happily and i smiled.

"So Nandani aaj se Manik se no milna julna.Yaar poori wedding wali vibes ani chahiye na."Sunaina laughed seeing Manik's poker face and I chuckled to which my hubby turned his head at me,"Bohot hasi aa rahi hai."He gritted and i laughed more.

Aww mere piyarey mian ji!Koi baat nhi bohot maze kar liye apne ab thora satana tou banta hai.

"So bhaiya I'll be living downstairs now,beside your room."I went towards bhaiya and sat beside him holding his arm looking at my hubby who gave me Are you serious wala look.

"Chlo guys bohot sari taiyarian karni hain raat ko haldi ka event hai yaar."Shahid spoke standing up from the sofa and everybody left the lounge going towards dining area for lunch.Only me and my husband was there.Manahil was also gone with Cabir bhai.He was staring at me so hard.

Bhaag ja Nandani is se pehle ye monster pakar le tughe!

Before i could run I felt my pallu being pulled and i was so close to his heart.He wrapped his arm around my bare waist and pulled me closer,"Acha nhi kiya tumne."He growled and i bit my lower lip controlling my smile.

"Don't do it.Warna yhi kiss kar lunga."He spoke so seriously that my eyes widened seeing his audacity.

"Shadi k baad Mr.Malhotra.Abhi aap kuch nhi kar sakte."I removed his arm from my waist.

"Acha?"He raised his brows.

"Ji!" I laughed and ran away towards dining area.

"Arey!Nandani listen!"I heard his groan behind but damn it will be fun teasing him.

Lekin tu bhi kisko sata rahi hai Nandani,tere mian ji chummi k bagair reh hi nhi sakte.

.....,...
I don't know what I've written but on a serious note i was so short of ideas while writing this chapter.It felt so difficult.Do tell me if it was bearable or not?
Yours
New Wanderer